Disney’s ESPN is finally going all-in on streaming, but the price tag has left many sports fans grumbling-even if everyone saw it coming.
This fall, ESPN will launch its own streaming service, offering two plans: the Unlimited plan at $29.99 per month (or $299.99 per year), and a Select plan for $11.99 per month (or $119.99 per year). The Unlimited plan unlocks the full ESPN experience: all seven ESPN networks, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, and access to 47,000 live events each year, plus replays and original shows. The Select plan is basically the current ESPN+ rebranded, with fewer events and less live coverage. That’s not going to please many ESPN+ users, since a high percentage of them complain about the current app’s poor design.
That $30 monthly price makes ESPN the most expensive major streaming service in the U.S., outpacing Netflix’s premium tier ($24.99), Hulu ($18.99), and Max ($16.99). Bundles can soften the blow: you can get ESPN Unlimited, Disney+, and Hulu together for $35.99 a month with ads, or $44.99 without ads on Disney+ and Hulu. At launch, the bundle will be discounted to $29.99 for the first year.
For cord-cutters, this is a long-awaited chance to ditch cable and still get big-ticket events like the College Football Playoff and NBA Finals. But the price stings-especially for fans already juggling multiple streaming subscriptions. According to recent reports, the average U.S. household spends about $69 a month on streaming, still less than the old $122 cable bill, but adding ESPN Unlimited could push many budgets to the limit.
Many fans aren’t exactly celebrating. Complaints about ESPN’s streaming quality, limited local team access, and relentless gambling ads are widespread. Some say the new service is just cable in disguise-expensive, fragmented, and still missing key games unless you pay even more for local or out-of-market coverage. As one frustrated fan put it, “It’s getting harder and harder to justify. Not that this is unique to sports. Hyper-capitalism… is destroying everything.”
Still, ESPN’s move is a milestone for sports broadcasting. The cord has finally been cut, but for many fans, it feels more like a price hike than a revolution.
***
English (US) · 